Anderson, Panthers blank slumping Islanders

Mar 3, 2008 - 12:46 AM

By Doug Mittler
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

UNIONDALE, New York (Ticker) - Craig Anderson spoiled the New
York Islanders' party.

Anderson stopped 53 shots and withstood a second-period barrage
on Sunday as the Florida Panthers made a first-period goal by
David Booth stand up in a 1-0 victory over the slumping New York
Islanders.

Prior to the game, the Islanders honored the "Core of the Four,"
the 16 players that were members of all four Stanley
Cup-winning teams from 1980 to 1983. That did little to inspire
the current crop of Islanders, who saw their playoff chances
take another hit in what amounted to a lost weekend.

The Islanders (31-29-7), who lost at home to Philadelphia on
Saturday, are 1-4-0 in their last five contests after a six-game
winning streak. They are five points behind the Flyers
(33-25-8) for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

"I think the most frustrating thing is letting four points slip
away this weekend," Islanders center Mike Comrie said. "When
you get over 50 shots, you expect one or two to get by their
goaltender."

Anderson took over for All-Star Tomas Vokoun and won the battle
of backup goaltenders by posting his third career shutout and
first since March 6, 2006 against Nashville.

"A lot went untold there. Lot of guys blocking shots, lot of
guys collapsing, putting their faces on the line," Anderson
said. "There was definitely a lot of help that you didn't
recognize. If you did, I'll mention it anyway."

Anderson recorded his fourth win of the season - with two coming
against the Islanders - after stopping 14 shots in the first
period, 29 in the second and 10 in the third. Wade Dubielewicz
made 29 saves for New York in place of Rick DiPietro, who missed
the game to attend his grandmother's funeral.

Booth gave Anderson all he would need when he got hold of a
rebound of a backhand shot by captain Olli Jokinen and put a
shot from between the circles into the net at 9:57 of the first
period.

"I was just around the net. That's where I'll score goals,"
Booth said. "That's the way we've been scoring lately."

The Islanders dominated the second, setting a club record for
shots in a period with 29 compared to eight for Florida. But
they could not get a puck past Anderson, who made point blank
saves on Jeff Tambellini and Ruslan Fedotenko, and another shot
by Comrie hit the post.

"Most guys will play better when there's no thought involved,"
Anderson said. "When you're seeing shots like that, you're not
really thinking at all - you're just reacting."

The 29 shots also were the most allowed by Florida in a period,
but did not leave the Panthers flustered.

"We were winning. I don't see why we had to be nervous,"
Panthers center Stephen Weiss said.

The Islanders had a similarly frustrating game on Tuesday, when
they had 52 shots on goal in a loss to Pittsburgh.

"We threw everything at him. There are no excuses not to score a
goal," Fedotenko said. "Maybe we're trying to make the pretty
play."

Florida played a more patient defensive game the rest of the way
and finished with 28 blocked shots, including nine by Karlis
Skrastins.

New York defenseman Bruno Gervais left with a thigh bruise and a
concussion in the first period and did not return.